Craft, Inc.

I’ve done my time with small business books. When I started thinking about opening a small business I sought out various how to publications with titles like Doing Business in California, How to Start a Crafts Business and various Nolo publications. All of these things seemed to touch on setting up a workspace and pricing for wholesale without actually giving me any clear picture of the world I needed to learn about, and most of the books were published before people were selling things on the internet so there was a whole chunk of options not covered. Craft, Inc. is the book I was looking for back then, and it’s a book I’ll clutch tightly as I grow and expand my business.

If you are considering starting a business Meg Mateo Ilasco works through all the the things you didn’t know you needed to know about, giving you a clear picture of what you need to do. She takes plenty of time to talk about how to protect your creative property and what you need to do to become official, marketing plans, financing, all the things that can be overwhelming when jumbled in your head are covered in an organized manner and with a clear voice that makes everything seem so much less terrifying. She addresses businesses that are a single person working in a spare room, through hiring publicists and outsourcing production. How to set prices, how to sell wholesale, when to attend trade shows, and when to show at them, what the heck Net 30 Terms are, and how to sell online. There is lots of talk about websites, online communities, how a blog might help your businesses with tips from Grace of Design*Sponge.

The book is designed well, with the transitions into interview sections or lists clearly defined. The pages are laid out cleanly and reflect the friendly but informed tone of the book. The list of resources at the back is full of sites I know about (craft fairs, crafting communities) and sites I need to know more about (societies, trade shows, outsourcing).

Lucky you, I have books to give away! The excellent people at Chronicle Books gave me three shiny new copies to give out. If you’d like one please leave a comment with your email address below.

I’ll use the truly random number generator to pick three people. The cut off date will be this Friday, August 24th, at noon Pacific time so, 3 p.m. on the East coast, and I’ll announce the winners on Monday, August 27th. (Small print: I reserve the right to move the entry cut off date earlier if I get a whole lot of entries or if anything gets strange. But I don’t expect it to. Scott will act as a completely biased but uninterested third party to keep me honest. If you have not commented on this site before I’ll need to approve your comment, so please don’t fret if it doesn’t show up right away. Check back at the end of the day and it’ll most likely be there.)

Good luck!

update: The winners have been chosen by the random number generator. Congratulations to Letty, Shannon, Carrie, Kim, Leanne and Sarah!

I’m a long-time lurker on your site because you always feature things pertinent to my interests, this book included, so how could I not comment for a chance to win?! Thanks so much for the reviews, they are always helpful.

Ladies in my craft group yesterday said that there’s no money in selling your crafts anymore, and that all the money is in selling things to help people sell their crafts. Like this book. Which I still want, even as my business dreams seem more and more remote.

I have always wanted to start my own business but never felt the time was right. Things have just recently started moving into place and it seems to be a real possibility now. I would appreciate being considered for the book.

i first read the book review this morning on http://www.ohjoy.blogs.com/
and NOW on YOUR groovy site?!? hmmm… i think those crafty Craft Gods are trying to tell me something today. count me in, thanks!!

I know this isn’t an essay contest, but I’d just like to say that I’d love to win this book as a gift for my boyfriend, who has made a career switch from Grad Student to Woodworker. The next step will be starting a business, and he needs advice!

I am currently considering the leap into freelance design and illustration but my nerves are getting the best of me. This book might be the perfect thing to get me back on track and give me some direction. :)

That sounds like the perfect book for me right now!
I’m currently thinking about setting up a business, my current plan is to have an on-line store and go get a stall at a few craft fairs.. but proper advice would be great!

this could have come in real handy last year when I started my business… and I could still put it to great use! plus, as a small business owner, I’m definitely too broke to buy it for myself – pick me!

I currently work for the City of Los Angeles in the library, but have been putting a lot of thought into having something fun to do before and after I retire. I make jewelry and make candy, so I’d love to see how to take my “fun time” and turn it into something which would at least support itself as well as give me a little mad money.

Wrench (#252) – Even if you cannot see the email addresses I can, they show up in the logs when you leave a comment. In the case somebody is picked who does not leave a valid email address, I’ll simply pick a different random number.

Thanks so much for posting about this! It really is hard to find information on starting an internet based business, at least, it has been for me here in MS. I walked into the small business development center and asked them about it and they laughed (seriously).

Wow, your story of reading all the books out there and not really finding the answers to the questions burning in your head rang sooo true! I began my craft business nearly a year ago, and still am looking for answers. I would love to win a copy of Craft Inc, and gain some of the clarity that you expressed feeling! Thanks for this chance. :)

Maaaan…..I checked you this morning and read your “all ready all gone” post and now it is 7:10 pm at my house and you are giving away this book!! I almost missed it!! I want it:) I have had two other mildly successful businesses and I am GREAT at the creative stuff, but the business savy is where I suck. I am looking toward etsy and selling what I love, but slowly! Bottom line is I hope I have the lucky number:~} Thank you for the chance!!

Looks like I “might” be a little late. he he he Well, if the book contest is based on how much I will love the book and give it a good home (1. ask my brother how much I love books and 2.I just opened an Entsy store but don’t have the first idea on what I should be doing, hence the lack of items in the store right now) I am the perfect winner!!
p.s-it’s funny you are giving some copies away because when I read this post the other day I went directly to amazon.com and thought about buying a copy but then realized that I should spend my money on school books. he he he Totally ironic.

So, eight months since I started my spare-room business, and I still have the vague, nagging sense that I’m Doing It Wrong. I have every certainty that THIS is the book I need to Do It Right, and hope that the random generator will randomly generate me into breath-taking success, or at least a land of business where I feel less confused…

I do want this book but I also want to say thanks for moving to Seattle. I love that I read your blog before you moved here and now it’s even better reading for me! Plus once in a great while I try to chime in with local tips.

I’ve actually been looking for a book like this for quite sometime– I’m considering trying to sell earrings and iPod cases and the like on the side, poor college student style. Thanks for the generosity!

I want to thank you for all the great tips. since I’ve learned about your blog (only a few days ago), I’ve added a lot of books to my wish list… this one included. I’ve just started sewing lessons and I’m currently working on my own cutting table! thanks for doing such an inspirational blog!

This book sounds wonderful and just the guide I need right now! If I don’t win it, I will purchase it, but, of course, I would love the chance to win. Oh, and thanks for your wonderful blog – I check it all the time. Keep up the good work!

Ooh! Came back from vacation to find this most excellent opportunity. Pick Me Pick me. As are some of the other commenters, I’m just about to start my own home based business. Thanks for directing me to this book – will defintely buy a copy, if I don’t win, of course.

I would love to read this book! I adore reading books about artists and how they manage to merge their arts and crafts with their lives. I have just begun a blog called lemonsweet dot com and I like to spotlight artists, designers and crafters from Etsy and from around the web and around the world! (I think I am just an artist who hasn’t found my art yet!)I would like to blog about this book and let crafters know that it is out there and that it can help them!
Thank you!

Goodness, I would love a copy! I was just looking at this book at our local bookstore last weekend, but did not let myself get it because I am totally not supposed to be spending money (and yet I totally want stuff! Gah!). Me me me! :)

Behold! the power of something free :) My mother in law is a great crafter looking to sell more wares. On Flickr, she is the Crochet Genie (as below) and I’d say that title is exactly right :)http://www.flickr.com/photos/ppatelart/
Thanks,
BG

wow – 735! wow.
the book looks great – i’d love it if the random generator picked me!!
i’m a bad lurker on your site, and have never commented, but i’ve been reading for a long time now – thanks so much for all the great tips and fun finds – keep it up!

only 7986655679321 people entered to win!? haa!! Love your site and thanks for the cool recommend for the book. I always seem to magnet attract cool peeps from the NW. Being from Portland and living in San Diego, it’s so nice to find a common POV… and knowing that it’s not all covered wagons and farms up there. Keep crafting.. and blogging!

Random numbers have always been attracted to me, and I’m not even mathematically inclined…but I AM rather crafty and because I too, one of MILLIONS, love your site and am a frequent looker and link stealer and anything else I can get my hands on…LIKE THE BOOK…It’s mine, all mine, yes???

And, I hope you ship because I’m quite a hike from the great NW…Florida is like living on another planet, and even those delicious looking energy bars (I ordered two boxes) won’t be enough to help me make that trek! :O)

I just stumbled onto your blog from doing a Martha search, and love what I see on your blog. I hope you don’t mind that I have booked mark it. Love to continue to read it. Plus this is the first time I have heard about this book, it sounds very interesting.

Am I really too late? :( I’m only now getting time for favorite blog reading. I’m trying to figure out to to run my little handmade, jewelry business and feel like I’m treading water on so many things. I would adore this!

Please, please throw some of us late readers in the pot, too?? :) Thank you for the book review!

i really would like insights on how jonathan alder, denise schmidt, lotta jansdotter say about how to keep your dream business ‘in business’ as sometimes romantic notions do fly out of the window when you really get down to the brass tacks; and at some level you do want the inspiration to stay even if the sheets get hard to balance!

I just found out about this book, and suprisingly my local Chapters had but a couple copies of it (even in small town Ontario, Canada!). So far I am really enjoying all of the advice and is has provided me with alot of positive reinforcement with regards to everything that I have been working towards. It is definitely worth the 20 bucks, however I think it is cheaper to order it online… if you can wait!